You’ve done it: you’ve packed up your home, moved into your brand new place — time to celebrate! At least, you would celebrate, if only you could remember which box you packed the wine opener in…
When it comes to moving, unpacking can be a nightmare if nothing is organized or you didn’t label things properly. So if you want a more painless moving process, here are some tips and tricks to organizing your house and belongings for easier unpacking.
Organize First, Then Box Things By Room
Before you start packing, set boxes in each room of your home. Start with several different sizes, and create different colored labels (or just use different colored markers) to help you differentiate between rooms when you’re unpacking.
Multi-colored stickers can also help you quickly figure out what room a box belongs in. Just make sure to put a sticker or a colored mark on each side of the box so you can see it from several angles.
While it might be tempting to pack all of your fragile items in the house together, it’s better to do smaller boxes with lots of padding for each individual room. You can use things like t-shirts to wrap breakable items to cut down on moving supplies used in each box.
Packing by room is the most efficient way to pack and unpack, allowing you to focus on what really matters: getting each room set up just the way you want it to.
Label, Label, and Label Some More
Sure, “bedroom 2” might seem sufficient at first — but when you forget which bedroom you were referencing, or if bedroom 2 is just the second box for your master bedroom, you’ll wished you labeled better.
Name each room in your old house, and if you’re consolidating rooms or downsizing, write which rooms in your new house those boxes will belong to.
Whether you use packing labels or just write on the side of your moving boxes, try and summarize the contents. That way, when you’re in the middle of unpacking but need something, you can quickly scan the boxes and find what you’re looking for.
Pack Essentials in Smaller, More Accessible Boxes
When moving homes, organize your essential items in smaller, more accessible boxes. From bedsheets to bottle openers to toiletries or medicine, try and identify the most important things you’ll need during the unpacking process and make sure they’re easy to get to. Unpacking takes time, and things are less stressful if you’re able to get to what you need.
When packing the moving truck, make sure these boxes are packed separately in your car, or in an easy-to-reach place. Even better, fill your suitcases with these items, so that you cut down on the number of moving boxes you need and can more easily find your necessities. Check out our guide to packing “survival kit” for the first night in your new home.
Okay, now that you’ve color-coded and labeled away, it’s time to find that bottle opener and crack open your favorite bottle of wine or sparkling cider, turn on the television — oh, wait. You didn’t forget to get your cable and Internet packages all sorted out, did you? If so — don’t panic. SmartMove has tools to help you find special offers in your area for everything from cable to smart home devices, so input your location and get started on your after-move-party.